Could Ridgewood misery be at an end?

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Published:15:48Monday 12 November 2012

RIDGEWOOD residents and drivers hope an end is in sight to five years’ traffic disruption. The area has been plagued by temporary traffic lights, roadworks, drainage repairs, and uncertainty over developers’ promised access improvements.

Ridgewood Post Office owner Jon Gothard said: “It’s vital people can park outside my shop for my business to survive. When lights went up people got into the habit of shopping elsewhere. It takes six months for the business to get back to normal.”

County Council chairman Cllr Chris Dowling told the Express: “We’ve got some good news at last. The new 30mph speed limit on Lewes Road is now extended. I’ve lobbied long and hard for this and finally we’ve got it through.”

He explained how traffic issues in New Road are starting to come to a conclusion – albeit causing problems along the way. Traffic calming proposals went through County’s planning committee in September. The work has been paid for by developers Linden Homes and will begin in mid-November.

He went on: “There have also been recurrent drainage problems in New Road and works here will have to be done first. After the work has been done New Road will be partially resurfaced.”

But Jon explained: “We’ve had on and off disruption for five years. They don’t seem to be able to get their act together. What really took the biscuit this year was when they said a line of rainwater drains outside the shop needed work doing. They gave us two days, turned up, put traffic lights up but no workers came. We had four days of lights and no work. Then they turned up unannounced to put lights up again. (turn to page 3)